Typewriting machine



Oct. 27l L. C. MYERS TYPEWRITING MACIUNE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1925 oct. 27, 1925. ,1,559,123

l.. c. MYERS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented oa. 27, 1925. i

UNITED STATES 1,559,123 PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS C. MYERS, 0F FREEPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR '10 ROYAL TYPEWRITER COM- PANY INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

TYPE'WRITING MACHINE.

`Application led February To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEWIS C. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Freeport, in the county of Nassau and State of New Yorlg'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates primarily to the means for Shifting the carriage or platen for upper case printing and locking the for uppercase printing and locking the carriage in both its upper and lower positions. It has previously been pro-posed to lockl the carriage in its lowerposition through the shift key lever itself, as shown in my Patent No. 987,907, March 28, 1911. In Such construction, however, the principle was embodied in a full size front strike machineV wherein the platen and carriage were given a substantially vertical shifting movement. 'Ihe shift key lever and associated devices were positioned substantially in a horizontal plane.

The present invention is designed prima' rily for use in small compact portable machines and is shown as illustrated in the Royal portable machine. In this construction the platen has substantially an oblique movement, and necessities of space require an entire reorganization of parts.

An object of the invent-ion is to 'provide `means whereby the shift key 'lever directly loc-ks the carriage in lower position and wherein the carriage may be released and moved by shift keys at each side of the machine.

Another object is to provide improved means 4for locking the carriage in shifted position which means can be unlocked by pressure on the shift keys at either side of the machine.

A further object is to provide mechanism for obtaining these and other results which will be compact and efficient and include a minimum number of parts.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent'from a consideration of the following detailed description and the api pended claims.

In the 'dra-Wings: l

Figure 1 isa fore and aft section looking toward the left hand side of the machine.

Figure 2 'is a top plan, view 'of the left 12, 1925. Vserial No. 8,791.

, lhand side ofthe machine with parts removed.

Figure 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away and parts in section.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the mounting of the shift keylevers and associated parts.

The invention is disclosed in a machine ofthe portable type of the character illustrated in the application of Myers and Handley, Serial No. 757,169, tiled Dec. 20, 19:24. in which is disclosed and claimed the mounting of the carriage shift frame and adjusting -means therefor. Since this mechanism forms no part of the present invention which in general may be employed with widely varying constructions, it will not be described indetail herein. Moreover, although the invention is of particular value in a small compact machine and has been especially designed therefor, it is not limited in its application thereto. Other instrumentalities such as the ribbon mechanism, type bar mechanism, etc., have no definite bearing on the invention and are merely shown to aford a more complete disclosure of the shifting;` means to the inachine as a Whole.

There isillustrated a main vided with ribbon mechanism B, type bar C, character key vlevers D, space key E, carriage F withv platen Gr, and a shift frame H. This shift frame is carried by plates I adjustably mounted in the frame A and supports a rock shaft K, the movement of which acts to shift the platen for upper case writing. A ,spring L acts as a counterbalance spring and stops N and O cooperating with offset ears P on the shift frame, limit the shifting movement in each direction. The parts thus far'described are, or may be, the'rsame as those disclosed in the application above mentioned and in themselves form no part of the invention herein claimed.

The shift frame H has at one side a downwardly extending arm 1 having. at `its lower end an offset ear 2 provided with an adjustable stop screw 3.v Intermediate its ends the arm 1 is provided with a headed Stud 4 which is vengaged by the hooked end 5 of a link- 6 which is shown as extending forwardly and then upwardly. The precise form, of this" link will depend upon the exigencies of space or other considerations and may be varied'so long as it suffices to transmit motion accurately from the shift key lever to the shift frame.

Members 7 attached to each side of the frame A have upturned ears 8 through which pass pivot screwsv 9 which support a shift shaft 10. A left hand shift key 11 is carried by a lever of peculiar shape clearly illustrated in lfigure 1. The portion'12 to which the keyill is attached extends rearwardly in a horizontal plane to a point just in rear of the keyboard where it is provided with a downward extension 13 fast to the shaft 10 and an upward extension 1-1 to which is hooked the front end of the link 6. From t-he rock shaft 10 the lever has a rearwardly extending portion 15 which is formed as illustrated to avoid interference with other parts of the machine. This lever has an offset end 16 which contacts withthe stop screw 3 when the parts are in normal position and thus locks the shift frame and platen in lower case or normal position. All of the parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 are preferably integral and `may be stamped out'of one piece of sheet metal. Since the rock shaft 10 and the parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 are rigid and really form a single operative member,V from one point of view these parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 may be regarded as extensions from the rock shaft or rocking frame.

A shift key lever 17 at the right hand side of the machine is provided with a bushing 18 attached to the shaft 10 by a tapered pin 19, Both shift levers and the shaft therefore move as a unit and constitute a single element.

When either shift key is depressed the shaft -10 is rocked and the rear end 16 of the left hand lever moves up quickly out of the path of the stop screw 3. This movement is permitted prior to the beginning of the movement of the shift frame by a slight lost motion between the hook 5 and the stud 4 or at the forward end of the link where it connects with the arm 14- Continuation of the depression of the shift key will shift the shift frame and platen to upper case position in the usual manner. The unlocking operation is also facilitated by the differ-v ence in lineal movement for a given angular movement between the end 16 of the shift lever and the' pointof attachment of the` key lever and normally drawn to the position'rshownin Afull lines inv Figure 1 by a.'

s ring 22 one end of which is attached to te stem of' the' lock key and the other end to the lever 12- AThe key stem also has a li'p 23 which engages the vunder edge of the lever 12 It.is alsoprovided with a dwell termediate its ends.

portion 24 near the key which-engages. a pin 25 when the key is depressed. This pin is carried by a portion 26 of the` frame, and when the parts are in the dotted line position of Figure 1, the engagement of pin 25 with the dwell 24 holds the parts in shifted position. It isobvious that the shift lock may be released by a mere touch on either of the main shift keys, since a slight depression of the lever portion 12 frees the dwell from the pin and permits the spring 22 to move the shift lock key to the full line position of Figure 1 relative to the main shift key lever.

There is illustrated a hollow sleeve 27 surrounding the shaft 10 between the left hand vcomprises a very compact relationof elements which are reduced in number to a substantial minimum. The shift frame is locked in lower position by the-lever itself and in upper position by the shift lock lever. It is unlocked from either position by movement of either shift key. As previously stated, it is particularly adapted to a machine of the type illustrated wherein the type bars occupy an oblique position at the movement of printing and the shift movement must be of a distinct type. .The invention may be embodied in other types ol" machines and variouselements may be modified in detail or used in other relations without departingv from the spirit of the invention which is to be regarded as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: l. In a typewriting machine, case v shift mechanism comprising a shift frame havi ing a depending arm, a shift key lever having engagementat its rear end with the lower end of said arm to lock the frame in normal position, and said lever also having a projection and a link connecting said projection with said arm intermediate -its ends to move said frame. v

2. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame having a depending arm, a] shift key lever havinga bent rear end to contact with Ythe lower end of said arm to lock the frame in normal position, an upward extension on said lever intermediate its ends, and a link V connecting said extension to said arin in- 3. In a' typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising an obliquely movable shift frame having a depending arm, an adjustable contact member carried by said arm at its lower end, a shift key lever having a rear end engagingY said contact llll member to lock the frame in normal position, an upward extension on said lever intermediate its ends and a link connecting said extension to'said arm at a point above said contact member. 4:. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame having an arm, a rock shaft havinga rearward extensioncontacting with said arm to lock l0 the 'aframe in normal position, said rock shaft also having an upward extension for attachment of a connection o said arm for moving said frame by mo 'ement of the rock shaft, and means for lrocking said 1'5' shaft. f

A5. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, a rock shaft having a rearward extension engaging said frame to lock it in normal posi- '20 tion, an u ward extension on said rock shaft, a link connecting said upward extension with and a forward key bearing extension to rock the shaft.

6. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, a rock shaft having a rearward extension cooperating with saidframe to lock it in normal position, an upper jextension connected to said frame to moveltlie same, and a plurality of 'forward key -bearing extensions to rock said shaft.

7. In a. typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, a rock 55A shaft, and members connected to said rock shaft and engaging said frame at two different points, onemember adapted to lock the frame in normal position and the other adapted to transmit power for moving the same.

(8. In a typewriting mechanism comprising a shift frame, asrock shaft, and two `members connected to said rock shaft, one member 'engaging the frame to lock the saine in norma the shift frame tolmove the same, i

machine, 'casel shift position, the

other member being connected to the frame at a different point, and the ends of said members being at different distances from the rock shaft whereby the end of the locking member has a much reater lineal movement for a given angu ar movement of theY rock shaft than does the other member.

9. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, a rocking frame having a rearward, an upward, and two forward extensions all moving as a unit, the rearward extension serving to' lock the tion, the upward extension servin to transwer for moving the shift rame, and thev orward extensions beingprovided with keys for moving said rocking frame.

10. `In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, a rocking Aframe having a rearward, an upward, and two forward extensions all moving as av unit, the rearwardextension serving to lock the shift frame-in normal position, the-upward extension servin yto transmit power for'moving the shift rame, and the forward extensions being providedwith keys for moving said rocking frame, one of said forward extensions also carrymg a shift lock key, whereby the shiftframe may be unlocked from either locked position by pressing either of the ordinary shift keys.

11. In a typewriting machine, case shift mechanism comprising a shift frame, shift key levers mounted on ya pivoted lshaft lying considerably the levers, one of said levers having an extension substantially in the horizontal plane of the shaft to lock the frame in'normal position, and an extension to a point above shift frame in'normal posibelow the horizontal plane of Y the horizontal plane of the key levers connected tothe frame to move the same.

In ltestimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. LEWIS C. MYERS. 

